Spur of the Moment? 1 Peter 1:13
1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
Have you ever met someone who just ‘floats by’ in life? You know the type, they just take the path of least resistance, or the path of ‘happiness’ (whatever that means). They don’t seem to really dig deep into anything, but move with any wind of change to wherever it will take them.
For many of these people, they will even some day find their way into a church. And if it feels good for them that day, they will pray the prayer, sing the songs and even start to show up for a while. But the time will come when they will float away again – just like the seeds with no root in Jesus’ parable (Mark 4:3-20).
What is Peter saying above? To me, it is that becoming a Christian is not a spur of the moment ‘decision’, but a sober, well thought out choice. That choice may be initially prompted by something spur of the moment, but crunch time will come sooner or later. The choice will have to be made, and it has to be made on firm ground, with clear and sober thought, having in mind the consequences, both present and eternal, of that decision.
The time will come, and a choice will have to be made.
So the question then is – are you still floating along? Or have you made that firm, final decision that binds you for eternity to Jesus? For we are not called just to float into the church and seek happiness there, but to become servants, slaves even of Jesus, and by a firm, sober-minded choice of our own.
Take some time then, and reflect! Have you made that decision? Then reflect again on what that truly means in your life. Or maybe you look back and find your are still floating free – it’s time then to sit down, and make that decision.
Why not do it now?
Your article seems to suggest that the real decision is a process and one connected with rational thinking through. I have been a believer since I was ten, when I truly didn’t have well developed powers of reasoning. Yet that experience of kneeling down and asking Jesus to be Lord (in all that simplicity) was the turning point in my life. I know you are right God is looking for a committed people but he is also merciful, even with drifters! I like something C.S.Lewis once said: God is not looking to make us happy, he wants us to grow up.
Thanks for your comment Joseph. I think your comment has completed something I didn’t – our lives can turn at that ‘moment’, but there does come the time where we need to ‘face up’ to that moment and truly, rationally, decide to go on. Though I think even at 10 (or 5) we are capable of rational thought and decision, we just may not asses all the information or use a clearly defined logical process!
Drewe